This was the first pub where I have taken a single foot in the door and immediately turned around and gone elsewhere.

The place was deserted (and I mean there was quite literally 0 people). The inside was that of a strange seaside bed and breakfast from the 1970s. Enormous space, round tables laid out at even intervals that seat no more than 4, carpeted in that bizarre floral pattern of a 70s B&B/Hotel. As a free-house you would expect at a minimum perhaps two ales on tap. Nope. One, and it was McMullen's AK.

Dire.

Go slightly further down the road and you've got The Horseshoes. McMullens owned, but has three of them. Has atmosphere. Much better.